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Football player, coach warn of concussions, head injuries

As a quarterback for Simon Kenton High School, Lawrence led the freshman squad in 2007 to an undefeated season. The next year, he helped the varsity team make it to the state title game in Kentucky. But early in that game, he suffered a career-ending injury.

As a quarterback for Simon Kenton High School, Lawrence led the freshman squad in 2007 to an undefeated season. The next year, he helped the varsity team make it to the state title game in Kentucky. But early in that game, he suffered a career-ending injury.

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Updated: 1:10 AM EST Nov 25, 2013

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WEBVTT sidelines and tell your trainer.You want to keep going throughthe game." 03:14:51"SEVERAL HEAD INJURIES... ONE OFTHE REASONS HE DECIDED TO STOPPLAYING CONTACT FOOTBALL.TONIGHT... A FORMER HIGH SCHOOLAND COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYERTALKS TO US... ABOUT THE DANGERSOF CONCUSSIONS.IF YOU HAVE CHILD WHO PLAYSPEEWEE FOOTBALL... OR HIGHSCHOOL... YOU HAVE TO HEARWHAT THIS FORMER PLAYER HAS TOSAY.TONIGHT, THE REALITY AND THERISK OF TAKING THE HITS, FROM AGUY WHO TRADED IN HIS HELMET ANDPADS ... FOR FLAG FOOTBALL.COURTIS FULLER INVESTIGATES THISDANGEROUS TREND.(from what they told me I waskind of out of it but .when youget a concussion you don'tthink so but obviously your mindis not in the right place)CHAD LAWRENCE SPENDS HIS TIMETHESE DAYS PLAYING FLAG FOOTBALLAT NKU BUT JUST A FEW YEARS AGOHE WAS A STAND-OUT PLAYER INHIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE.. AS AQUARTER BACK FOR SIMON JKENTONCHAD LED THE FRESHMAN SQUAD T IN2007 TO AN AN UNDEFEATEDSEASON.. AND THE NEXT YEAR.HEHELP LEAD THE VARISITY TEAM TOTHE STATE TITLE GAME..(early in the game I took ahelmet to helmet hit from theiroutside linebacker Ijust remember waking up in anambulance and asking my dad didwe win and he's telling me noyou didn't.) CHAD WAS FACEDWITH A REALITY THAT MANY PLAYERSFACE TO YOU CONTINUE TAKING THERISKS IN THE GAME YOU LOVE(I''ve had the two diagnosedconcussions from my sophomoreyear there were times when Iwould get hit during my juniorand senior year and see somestars or things flying around myface as a competitor you don'twant to come to thesidelines and tell your traineryou want to keep going thru-outthe game) THE CONCUSSIONSCOUPLED WITH OTHER INJURIESEVENTUALLY MADECHAD GIVE UP CONTACT FOOTBALL.WE ARE SEEING THE DEBATE ABOUTCONCUSSION SAFCETY IN BOTH THEPRO LEVEL AND WITH YOUNGPLAYERS.. FORMER RUNNINGBACKS COACH FOR THE BENGALS JIMANDERSON WEIGHED IN ON THEISSUED.. HEWITNESSED HITS FROM THE BENGALSSIDELINE FOR NEARLY THREEDFECADES MORE SAFETY MESSURESARE NEEDED EARLY(A DEFENSELESS PLAYER when thatguy has his head down you haveto givce him a step. Continueto teach it) CHAD LAWRENCE NOWCOACHES YOUNG PLAYERS AT SIMONKENTON..HE SAYS SAFETY IS NUMBER ONE(The proper formto be hurt)REPORTS SHOW THE NATION'SLARGEST YOUTH FOOTBALL PROGRAM,POP WARNER, HAS SEEN A DECLINEIN PARTICIPATION THE PAST FEWYEARS. MANY EXPERTS SAY ALLTHE TALK ABOUT CONCUSSIONS ISHAVING A BIG IMPACT ON PARENTS.WE'VE PUT SOME IMPORTANT LINKSTO THE C-D-C AND U-S-A FOOTBALLON OUR WEBSITE.... SO YOU CANHAVE ALL THE FACTS.A MASON HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATE,

Football player, coach warn of concussions, head injuries

As a quarterback for Simon Kenton High School, Lawrence led the freshman squad in 2007 to an undefeated season. The next year, he helped the varsity team make it to the state title game in Kentucky. But early in that game, he suffered a career-ending injury.